Fes Jdid, UNESCO Heritage district in Fez, Morocco
Fes Jdid is a historic district in Fez, Morocco, positioned between the old medina and the newer parts of the city, with wide streets, a walled royal palace, and former residential quarters that housed different communities. The district is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Medina of Fez and borders the old Jewish Mellah quarter directly.
The district was founded in the 13th century by the Marinid dynasty as a royal and administrative center built alongside the existing city. In the 15th century, the Mellah was established there, becoming one of the oldest Jewish quarters in Morocco.
The large decorated bronze doors of the Royal Palace face an open square and are maintained by craftsmen from the city. The surrounding souks serve mainly local shoppers, not tourists, so the pace here feels more like an ordinary neighborhood than a monument.
The district is easy to walk through because the streets are wider and less crowded than in the old medina next door. Visiting in the morning or early afternoon gives you the best chance to see the souks active and the square in front of the palace gate at its most open.
The Mellah in Fes Jdid is considered one of the oldest Jewish quarters in Morocco, and its typical architecture with overhanging wooden balconies can still be seen in some streets. This building style, which allowed residents to look onto the street without going outside, is rarely preserved in this region.
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